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EP-4536516-B1 - ACTUATING DEVICE WHICH CAN BE COUPLED TO A ROTATING SHAFT, PREFERABLY OF A MOTOR TRANSPORT VEHICLE, FOR THE REDUCTION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION, A VEHICLE WITH SUCH AN ACTUATING DEVICE, AND -METHOD OF USE OF SUCH AN ACTUATING DEVICE

EP4536516B1EP 4536516 B1EP4536516 B1EP 4536516B1EP-4536516-B1

Inventors

  • SOARDI, Diego
  • GUERINI, GIANANTONIO
  • ARCHETTI, MARCO

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230613

Claims (10)

  1. Actuating device (1) which can be coupled to a rotating shaft, preferably of a motor transport vehicle, for the reduction of energy consumption, comprising: - a rotor body (2) adapted to rotate around its own axis of rotation (X1), said rotor body (2) being configured to be locked together with a rotating shaft (A); - at least a first mass (3) and a second mass (4), each constrained to said rotor body (2) to move along a direction of movement (V1) transverse to said axis of rotation (X1); Characterized in that it comprises - movement means (5) operatively connected to each of said masses (3, 4) and adapted to move each of said masses (3, 4) along said direction of movement (V1) to vary the moment of inertia of said rotor body (2) in order to vary the angular speed of said rotating shaft (A).
  2. Actuating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein each of said masses (3, 4) are movable between an approached limit position wherein it is arranged in the proximity of said axis of rotation (X1) and a receding limit position wherein it is moved away from said axis of rotation.
  3. Actuating device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said movement means (5) are configured to move said masses (3, 4) between a closed configuration, wherein both masses (3, 4) are in the approached limit position, and an open configuration, wherein both masses (3, 4) are in the receding limit position.
  4. Actuating device (1) according to the preceding claim, comprising a control unit operatively connected to said movement means (5) to control the operation thereof, said control unit being configured to operate in: - a deceleration condition wherein it controls said movement means to move said masses (3, 4) from said closing configuration to said opening configuration, and - an acceleration condition wherein it controls said movement means to move said masses (3, 4) from said opening configuration to said closing configuration.
  5. Actuating device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said rotor body (2) comprises at least one internal cavity (19) defining a first housing (17) adapted to house said first mass (3) and a second housing (18) adapted to house said second mass (4).
  6. Actuating device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said movement means (5) comprise: - a first transmission system (23) operatively connected to said first mass (3) to move it along said respective direction of movement, - a second transmission system (24) operatively connected to said second mass (4) to move it along said respective direction of movement, and - an actuator (25) operatively connected to said transmission systems (23, 24) to operate them simultaneously.
  7. Actuating device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, each of said transmission systems (23, 24) comprise: - at least one tie rod (26) positioned between said actuator (25) and said respective mass (3, 4), and - a spring return element (27) positioned between said rotor body (2) and said respective mass (3, 4), wherein: - said actuator (25) is configured to exert a force on said tie rod (26) in order to move said respective mass (3, 4) along said direction of movement (V1) in a first direction, and - said spring return element (27) is configured to elastically oppose the movement of said mass (3, 4) along said first direction in order to exert a spring return force capable of moving said mass (3, 4) along a second direction opposite the first direction.
  8. Actuating device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each of said transmission systems (23, 24) comprises: - at least one magnetic element associated with said respective mass (3, 4), and - an electromagnet associated with said rotor body (2) and configured to generate, as a result of the passage through it of an electric current, a magnetic field such that it interacts with said magnetic element to generate a force capable of moving said mass (3, 4) along said direction of movement (V1).
  9. Motor transport vehicle, comprising: - at least one rotating shaft (A) supporting at least one wheel, - an actuating device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, associated with said rotating shaft (A).
  10. Using method of an actuating device, comprising the phases of: - having an actuating device (1) according to one or more of claims 2 to 8, - applying said actuating device (1) to a rotating shaft (A) of a motor transport vehicle, - during a deceleration phase of said motor transport vehicle, moving said masses (3, 4) from said approached limit position towards said receding limit position, - during an acceleration phase of said motor transport vehicle, moving said masses (3, 4) from said receding limit position to said approached limit position.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to an actuating device which can be coupled to a rotating shaft, preferably of a motor transport vehicle, for the reduction of energy consumption. Background Art The present invention has a preferred, but not exclusive, application in the field of motor transport vehicles, such as lorries, tractor-trailers, trucks, trains, cars and the like. However, the possibility of application in different areas where there is a rotating shaft controlled by an actuation system cannot be ruled out, such as e.g. within industrial systems having axes of rotation driven by electrical or mechanical apparatuses. As is well known, transport vehicles are usually provided with at least one rotating shaft that holds a pair of wheels and a motor that sets the rotating shaft into rotation, consequently moving the vehicle along a direction of travel. Such transport vehicles are also provided with a braking system which allows slowing down the movement of the vehicle. During the use of a transport vehicle, it is usual to experience a succession of situations which require deceleration, such as e.g. when approaching a curve or a traffic light, followed by acceleration of the vehicle. Such situations require the application by the engine and by the braking system of appropriate forces operating on the rotating shaft to control the rotational speed thereof, while at the same time resulting in high energy consumption by the engine and extreme wear and tear on the braking system. In the particular case of internal combustion engines, such situations also result in high fuel consumption with consequent impact in economic and environmental terms. It has, in fact, been verified how the greatest consumption of a vehicle occurs during the phase of acceleration, especially in the case of large vehicles. Nowadays, it is known that about 60% of the EU's total emissions come from transportation, agriculture, construction and waste management. Right now, the target set by the European community is to reduce emissions from these means of transportation by 30% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. In addition, it is known that 15% of C02 emissions in Europe are produced by vehicles such as cars and vans. Updates to EU and non-EU standards set C02 emission reduction targets for new cars and vans that are 37.5% and 31% respectively to be achieved by 2030. Therefore, the problem of being able to achieve increasingly significant reductions in the energy consumption of transportation vehicles appears to be an increasingly pressing issue. In this context, the Applicants envisioned developing an actuating device which can be applied to a rotating shaft, such as e.g. the wheel-support axle of a vehicle, to suitably vary its moment of inertia in order to decrease the strain on the engine and on the braking system required to vary the rotating shaft's rotational speed. It has been verified that by means of such an actuating device it is possible to reduce the wear and tear of the braking system and the consumption of the engine, and thus the emission of CO2 and other pollutants into the air. The document RU2509241 C1 gives an example of a state of the art adjustable inertia flywheel. Description of the Invention Therefore, the main aim of the present invention is to make an actuating device applicable to a rotating shaft which allows reducing the work of external forces required to vary the rotational speed of the rotating shaft. A further object of the present invention is to make an actuating device that is easily and quickly applied to a rotating shaft. Another object of the present invention is to devise an actuating device which allows the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art to be overcome within the framework of a simple, rational, easy and effective to use as well as low cost solution. The above objects are achieved by this actuating device having the characteristics of claim 1. Another embodiment of the present invention is to make a motor transport vehicle having the characteristics of claim 9. Still a further embodiment of the present invention is to develop a method of using the actuating device having the characteristics of claim 10. Brief Description of the Drawings Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of an actuating device, illustrated by way of an indicative, yet non-limiting example, in the accompanying tables of drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the actuating device applied to a rotating shaft in accordance with the present invention,Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the rotor body of the device in Figure 1,Figures 4 and 5 are rear and front views of part of the movement means of the device in Figure 1,Figure 6 is a side view of the movement means in Figure 4. Embodiments of the Invention With particular reference to these figures, reference